2017 North Indian Ocean Cyclone Season
The 2017 North Indian Ocean Cyclone Season was a relatively active season, with 3 storms reaching Cyclonic Storm status. The season ran from April 29 to December 14, 2017, and was responsible for any deaths or damages by the various storms that formed that season. The deadliest cyclone of the season was Maarutha, causing all but 3 of the total seasonal fatalities, and all of the damage recorded this year. 'Storms' Deep Depression BOB 01 Forming off Sri Lanka as a tropical disturbance on April 27, the JTWC began to issue bulletins on the system, as the potential for possible tropical cyclone development increased. On the 29th, IMD began to monitor the system as a Depression, but the JTWC continued to monitor the developing storm as a disturbance until the following morning. Following an increase in convection, JTWC upgraded the system to a tropical storm, and the system rapidly deepened, hitting the Bay of Bengal side of the Indian coastline with peak winds of 45mph, then rapidly weakened after moving inland. during its tenure, BOB 01 caused the deaths of 3 people, and minimal damage. Cyclonic Storm Nada On May 13, a tropical wave entered the Indian Ocean from the South China Sea. Moving generally westward, the low gradually intensified, reaching depression status by the evening of the 17th.on the 18th, JTWC upgraded the system into a tropical storm, and a few hours alter, IMD upgraded the cyclone into a cyclonic storm, naming it Nada in the process. Nada continued to move slowly westward, passing to the south of India and Sri Lanka on the 21st, before rapidly weakening as a result of strong windshear from another disturbance, which failed to develop. There were no reports of any deaths or damage during the storms lifecycle. Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Verdah The JTWC began to monitor a tropical depression on July 12 near to the Bangladeshi coastline, which explosively deepened to become a category 4 tropical cyclone on the SSHS, before hitting the coastline with peak winds. the exact tropical cyclone history by IMD is unknown, but the first known advisory was issued by the agency on the evening of July 12. Whether or not the system existed as a depression is unknown, as the first known advisory was issued on a deep depression. Either way, the cyclone was named Verdah by IMD when they had classified it to have reached cyclonic storm status on the 14th. the cyclone drifted erratically off the coast of Bangladesh for about another week, eventually making landfall at peak strength on the 20th. Soon after landfall, the cyclone rapidly underwent an extratropical transition, being declared an extratropical low by both IMD and JTWC the following afternoon. During its lifecycle, Verdah caused the deaths of 1098 people, and an estimated $3.1 billion in damages. 'Super Cyclonic Storm Maarutha ' On October 12, an area of convection moved off the coast of Burma, and began to slowly organise in an area favourable for further tropical cyclone development. By October 16, the IMD reported that a depression had developed 171km off the Burmese coast. A few hours later, the JTWC reported that a tropical storm had developed. Continuing to move slowly westward, the newly designated cyclone began to steadily strengthen, and was designated a cyclonic storm late on the 16th as it began to accelerate. Intensification continued, and Maarutha reached cyclone status on the SSHS soon afterward, with IMD designating the system as a very severe cyclonic storm just 7 hours later. On October 31, Maarutha encountered windshear whilst located near the Oman coastline, rapidly weakening to a remnant low by November 2. During its existence, Maarutha caused 1 death and minimal damage to Burma, Sri Lanka, India and Oman. 'Depression ARB 01 ' The first that is known about the development of this system is when IMD designated ARB 01 on November 24th. Soon afterwards, the JTWC began issuing advisories on the system as a tropical depression.The depression was very slow moving, causing flooding to Gujarat throughout its entire lifecycle. A death can be associated with the low, when a person was swept away in a surge of water. The exact economic losses associated with this system are unknown, though they are thought to me at a minimal. 'Depression ARB 02 ' A depression existed of the coast of Oman for 2 days before dissipating, causing minimal damage, but no deaths.